WaterNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94WaterSun, 18 Sep 2016 08:23:05 +0000Waterhttp://kunm.org
Opposition to the Dakota Access pipeline continues to grow beyond its North Dakota roots, with solidarity protests Tuesday in dozens of cities across the country and the world. Many Reasons, One Cause In Pipeline Protesthttp://kunm.org/post/many-reasons-one-cause-pipeline-protest
80243 as http://kunm.orgThu, 15 Sep 2016 00:38:39 +0000Many Reasons, One Cause In Pipeline ProtestVictoria EdwardsStories of outsiders coming to New Mexico to exploit the state's resources are nothing new – think Spanish colonization. That’s how many critics see Santolina, a 22-square-mile development proposed for an area west of Albuquerque. But opponents of the project are fighting back in court. Community Groups Take On Santolina In Courthttp://kunm.org/post/community-groups-take-santolina-court
79707 as http://kunm.orgWed, 31 Aug 2016 14:13:13 +0000Community Groups Take On Santolina In CourtElaine BaumgartelIt looks like state officials have scrapped a $1 billion proposal to divert water from the Gila River in southwestern New Mexico – but they’re still looking to spend $80 million to $100 million to take water from the river for towns and farmers. Agency Downsizes Gila River Diversion Planshttp://kunm.org/post/agency-downsizes-gila-river-diversion-plans
77074 as http://kunm.orgMon, 27 Jun 2016 23:55:06 +0000Agency Downsizes Gila River Diversion Plans UPDATE 5/19: Water utility board members decided Wednesday not to add more fluoride to drinking water to promote oral health in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. The Albuquerque Journal reports the board voted to cut the funding for supplemental fluoridation. Supporters of fluoridation argue it benefits low-income people who don’t have easy access to affordable dental care. Critics of supplemental fluoridation say it creates health risks. The water utility stopped adding fluoride in 2011 in order to wait for new federal guidelines that were updated in 2015. *** For the past five years, water utility officials in Albuquerque haven’t been adding supplemental fluoride to the city’s drinking water. But, city officials could decide whether to change that Wednesday at a public meeting. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority stopped adding fluoride to drinking water in 2011 while waiting for the federal government to update recommended levels of fluoride to promote oralABCWUA Will Not Bring Back Fluoridated Waterhttp://kunm.org/post/abcwua-will-not-bring-back-fluoridated-water
75549 as http://kunm.orgWed, 18 May 2016 21:09:24 +0000ABCWUA Will Not Bring Back Fluoridated WaterMarisa Demarco UPDATE 8/25 at 12:30 p.m.: President Russell Begaye is awaiting soil and sediment samples from the Navajo Nation's Environmental Protection Agency before deciding whether to remove restrictions on irrigation from the San Juan River, according to spokesperson Mihio Manus. Begaye, a farmer himself who's relied on the river, met with farmers in Shiprock on Thursday, Aug. 20. ***** Shiprock Votes To Keep Irrigation Shut Offhttp://kunm.org/post/shiprock-votes-keep-irrigation-shut
64903 as http://kunm.orgMon, 24 Aug 2015 23:30:54 +0000Shiprock Votes To Keep Irrigation Shut OffMarisa DemarcoIt’s been nearly two weeks since the Gold King Mine spill caused the shut down of San Juan River irrigation to farms on the Navajo Nation. Emergency stopgap measures aren’t quite panning out. Shiprock Farmers Scramble To Save Fieldshttp://kunm.org/post/shiprock-farmers-scramble-save-fields
64679 as http://kunm.orgWed, 19 Aug 2015 00:01:16 +0000Shiprock Farmers Scramble To Save FieldsRita DanielsNew Mexico lifted water restrictions on the Animas and San Juan Rivers over the weekend in the wake of a toxic mine spill in Colorado. Water samples showed spikes in heavy metals, but state and federal officials say contaminants have been diluted and dispersed downstream. That brought relief to farmers in San Juan County who are not on the Navajo Nation. They were given the go-ahead on Saturday to irrigate and use the water for watering livestock after the San Juan and Animas Rivers had been closed for more than a week. The EPA said water samples showed contamination levels were returning to what they were before the 3 million gallon Gold King Mine spill. But state officials are warning people to not drink directly from the rivers and to wash with soap and water after coming into contact with the rivers or the sediments. They also recommend that people do not eat fish from the watershed until they can determine the level of contamination in the aquatic life. Water Restrictions Lifted For Animas and San Juan Rivershttp://kunm.org/post/water-restrictions-lifted-animas-and-san-juan-rivers
64640 as http://kunm.orgMon, 17 Aug 2015 23:12:04 +0000Water Restrictions Lifted For Animas and San Juan RiversMarisa Demarco Update Aug. 18, 11:30 a.m.: The EPA said the water for the Navajo Nation came from nearby Bloomfield and met state and federal quality standards. The trucks came from a division of an Aztec, N.M.-based company, Triple S Trucking, that moves non-potable water. The company also hauls fluids to and from oil fields. KUNM awaits comment from Triple S. Navajo Farmers: EPA Sent Us More Contaminated Waterhttp://kunm.org/post/navajo-farmers-epa-sent-us-more-contaminated-water
64633 as http://kunm.orgMon, 17 Aug 2015 21:12:41 +0000Navajo Farmers: EPA Sent Us More Contaminated WaterMarisa DemarcoSHIPROCK, N.M.—Not everyone on the Navajo Nation had heard about the Gold King Mine spill that happened more than a week ago, even though they might live along the San Juan River. Volunteers Go Door-To-Door To Alert Navajos About Spillhttp://kunm.org/post/volunteers-go-door-door-alert-navajos-about-spill
64538 as http://kunm.orgFri, 14 Aug 2015 23:25:48 +0000Volunteers Go Door-To-Door To Alert Navajos About SpillRita DanielsCommunities along the Animas and San Juan rivers are still waiting on test results from the Gold King Mine spill. The first round of test results from the toxic plume’s impact on the rivers near Farmington aren't expected until Wednesday. Test Results On River Contamination Expected Wednesdayhttp://kunm.org/post/test-results-river-contamination-expected-wednesday
64402 as http://kunm.orgWed, 12 Aug 2015 00:11:01 +0000Test Results On River Contamination Expected WednesdayMarisa DemarcoState officials met with the Navajo Nation Council on Monday, Aug. 10, to talk about mine waste contamination of the San Juan River flowing through tribal land. New Mexico's top environment official had harsh words about the EPA’s lack of transparency and support. State Environment Secretary Slams EPAhttp://kunm.org/post/state-environment-secretary-slams-epa
64351 as http://kunm.orgTue, 11 Aug 2015 01:12:41 +0000State Environment Secretary Slams EPAMarisa DemarcoThe Navajo Nation Council met on Monday, Aug. 10, to talk about impacts from the more than 3-million-gallon toxic spill into the Animas River. "This is an assault on our way of life," said Delegate Amber Crotty. "This is an assault on core of who we are as Diné people." Navajo Council Criticizes Animas Disaster Responsehttp://kunm.org/post/navajo-council-criticizes-animas-disaster-response-0
64354 as http://kunm.orgTue, 11 Aug 2015 01:09:11 +0000Navajo Council Criticizes Animas Disaster ResponseKatie StoneThe Children's Hour wonders, with all the rain this spring, is New Mexico still in a drought? Where does our water come from, anyway? Journalist and environmental reporter John Fleck joins The Children’s Hour in the studio to talk about water and the west. We'll also interview Maia Weinstock about her efforts to get the Lego company to have more women scientists and professionals, including a true to life US Supreme Court. Plus great music, the KUNM Kids Birthday Club, a family events calendar and so much more. Rainy New Mexicohttp://kunm.org/post/rainy-new-mexico
62201 as http://kunm.orgWed, 17 Jun 2015 17:10:00 +0000Rainy New MexicoEd WilliamsThe Rio Grande runs through three states, and all along the way communities use the river’s waters for drinking, crop irrigation, and for Native American religious ceremonies. But with New Mexico’s biggest urban centers and military bases—and the substantial pollution they generate—near to the riverbanks, how safe is the Rio Grande for people and wildlife? In this series, we take an in-depth look at what’s in the water, what’s being done to fight pollution, and what contamination means for human and environmental health. Power Surge Sends Sewage Into The Rio Grande Albuquerque’s wastewater treatment plant spilled nearly 6 million gallons of partially treated sewage into the Rio Grande in February. Public Health New Mexico’s Ed Williams reports there was an equipment failure at one of the plant’s pumping facilities. Officials with the Southside Wastewater Reclamation Plant say there was a spike in power during last week’s heavy snowstorm. That power spike disabled a pump station. ReadKUNM Reporting Serieshttp://kunm.org/post/kunm-reporting-series
59478 as http://kunm.orgWed, 15 Apr 2015 20:42:22 +0000KUNM Reporting SeriesEd WilliamsThe Environmental Protection Agency is working with the City of Albuquerque to install a state of the art parking lot at a municipal facility that will reduce pollution flowing into the Rio Grande. The city is spending $61,000 to replace an old parking lot at Pino Yards, a municipal maintenance and fueling facility. The project is part of a settlement with the EPA, coming after toxic runoff from the site drained into the Rio Grande, resulting in violations of the Clean Water Act. The new parking lot will be built with permeable pavement, which will allow rainwater to sink into the ground instead of draining into rivers and streams. The EPA says keeping rainwater on-site will reduce dangers to public health and the environment. Albuquerque Installing New Permeable Parking Lothttp://kunm.org/post/albuquerque-installing-new-permeable-parking-lot
54580 as http://kunm.orgMon, 22 Dec 2014 23:00:33 +0000Albuquerque Installing New Permeable Parking LotKatie Stone Sat. 10/25, 9am: It all comes out in the end, they say, and when it does, where does it go? We learned exactly what happens with Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority educator Sharon Savinski. Plus, we explored the methane world of flatulence. It stinks! Poop Happens, Then What?http://kunm.org/post/poop-happens-then-what
52020 as http://kunm.orgTue, 21 Oct 2014 21:35:38 +0000Poop Happens, Then What?Marisa DemarcoYoung scientists from Taos High School won the top prize at eCYBERMISSION, a national army-sponsored contest that asks students to come up with real-world solutions to problems in their communities. Ninth-graders in Taos figured out how to create inexpensive filters to remove antibiotics from drinking water. On Friday, June 20, they won $20,000 for their efforts, plus an additional $5,000 grant for the next phase of their work—implementation. They made the filters out of crushed blue crab shells that cost a little less than four bucks each, and developed a method for removing most of the antibiotics from the water. So what’s next? Student Andrea Chin Lopez explained: “We hope to expand this project so we can remove variables like allergens, and we also want to implement it on a larger scale. And in the long run we want to push for legislation to include antibiotics and other prescription drugs as something that is tested for as part of the Safe Drinking Water Act." The students sayStudents Win Thousands to Clean Up Waterhttp://kunm.org/post/students-win-thousands-clean-water
47017 as http://kunm.orgMon, 23 Jun 2014 17:03:32 +0000Students Win Thousands to Clean Up WaterMarisa DemarcoTaos High School students are pitching a water-cleaning project in a national science competition called eCYBERMISSION this week in D.C. The prize? $25,000 and the chance to help the U.S. get antibiotics out of its water supply. Students at Taos High have figured out how use crushed blue crab shells to create filters that remove antibiotics from water. They used the crustacean shells to create Chitosan, which is commonly used in agriculture, medicine and industry. They conducted experiments, and eventually, one pass through their filters removed 60 to 68 percent of amoxicillin and ampicillin from the water. Chitosan can be inexpensive to work with; each filter cost only about $3.70 to make. For years, the Environmental Protection Agency has been finding residues of pharmaceuticals contaminating the drinking water. Taos student Julia Johnson said people flush their excess pills, plus livestock around the country consume antibiotics—and it all ends up in the water supply. Antibiotics areTaos High Students Filter Antibiotics From Waterhttp://kunm.org/post/taos-high-students-filter-antibiotics-water
46704 as http://kunm.orgMon, 16 Jun 2014 20:28:27 +0000Taos High Students Filter Antibiotics From WaterTristan Ahtone Navajo President Ben Shelley has declared a state of emergency for drought conditions on the Navajo Nation. Officials are concerned ongoing drought may be creating unsafe conditions for people who need drinkable water. More than 40 percent of homes on the Navajo Nation don't have access to water infrastructure, and small lakes and ponds used for livestock on the reservation are losing water or drying up completely. Erny Zah is a spokesman for the Navajo Nation. He says with drought taking it's toll and no access to running water, some people may turn to drinking water from shallow wells meant for livestock. “Because they are shallow, they're not drilled as deep as what we would use for drinking water,” says Zah. “So since they're shallow, what happens is that the top soil sometimes leaks into these wells, so we could have arsenic, we could have uranium - trace amounts that are okay for livestock, but for human consumption they could definitely do some damage.” Zah says the declarationNavajo Nation Declares Drought Emergencyhttp://kunm.org/post/navajo-nation-declares-drought-emergency
31616 as http://kunm.orgTue, 02 Jul 2013 23:45:39 +0000Navajo Nation Declares Drought EmergencyTristan AhtoneWith drought affecting much of the southwest, the Navajo Nation is working to bring water to it's citizens with the tribal government recently approving over $8-million dollars for water infrastructure projects.The Navajo Nation is roughly the size of West Virginia, has a population of around 170,000 people, and much of the Nations citizens are in need of water."Between 30 to 40% of our homes still do not have electricity, and for water that's even higher, so there's a great need," says Ernie Zah, communications director for Navajo president Ben Shelley. He says current funding will take care of some needs, but not all. "Anytime we spend money to build water infrastructure there's always going to be the communities that are asking: 'what about us?' and that makes a difficult decision for us."Zah says the recent passage of a spending package to dig water wells, construct water lines, create conservation plans, and study water supplies will go a long way to securing the resource forNavajo Nation Funds Water Projectshttp://kunm.org/post/navajo-nation-funds-water-projects
28962 as http://kunm.orgFri, 10 May 2013 00:08:12 +0000Navajo Nation Funds Water Projects